The D-League Greensboro Swarm did not make the playoffs in their inaugural season, but the club "won where it counts: the box office," according to Jeff Mills of the Greensboro NEWS & RECORD. Swarm President Steve Swetoha said, "We thought we'd sell out a couple games. We purposely set up our schedule so we'd have more games in the second half of the season." Mills noted the Swarm, which is affiliated with the Hornets, "sold out seven of 24 home games, including three standing-room-only crowds." Playing in a 2,118-seat venue at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, the team "averaged crowds of 1,768." That means the Swarm sold 83.5% of its tickets, with prices "ranging from $10 to $86 per seat." Swetoha: "What we want is a level of personal service and attention to detail. We need to make sure our fans have a really good time when they come to our building, win or lose. We pay attention to feedback. People were surprised at how nice the building is, and how good the experience is." Mills noted the Swarm make "extensive use of social media, using Twitter, Facebook and Instagram -- 'digital assets,' Swetoha said -- to market itself and control the message." Swetoha: "If you go to our Facebook page, after every game we load a bunch of photos -- pictures of groups and people who have come out to support us. These groups see their pictures, and they're instantly part of something. Then they share them. That's helped us as well" (Greensboro NEWS & RECORD, 4/15).
